Trace-clip.



FFTCE.

CHARLES ADAM GUNZELMON, OF ABILENE, KANSAS.

TRACE-CLIP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 30, 1907.

Application filed April 12,1907. Serial No. 367,799.

To all whomi't may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES ADAM GUNzEnMoN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Abilene, in the county of Dickinson and State of Kansas, have invented a new and Improved Trace-Clip, of: which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The invention relates to trace retaining devices and its object is to provide a new and improved trace clip, which is simple and durable in construction and arranged to securely hold the trace in place on the end of the whiflle-tree.

The invention consists of novel features and parts and combinations of the same, which will be more fully described hereinafter and then pointed out in the claims.

A practical embodiment of the invention is repre sented in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improvement as applied; Fig. 2 is a sectional side elevation of the same on the line 22 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a transverse section of the same on the line 33 of Fig. l.

The trace clip is preferably made from a single piece of spring wire, bent at or near its middle to form a loop A engaged by a staple B driven into the Whittle-tree C on which the trace D is to be securely held in place by the trace clip. The piece of wire of which the trace clip is made is twisted as at E adjacent to the loop A, and from the twisted portion extend the members F, F, curved or arched in opposite directions and crossing each other at their free ends, the latter terminating in hooks G, G extending in opposite directions and downwardly, to engage the sides of the outer end of the Whiflle-tree O, as shown in the drawings.

By reference to Figs. 1 and 3, it will be seen that the members F, F of the clip extend over the top of the trace D, and the hooks G, G engage the outer end of the whiHle-tree O outside of the trace D, thus securely holding the trace against slipping off the end of the whittletree.

When it is desired to unlatch the trace, the operator presses the members F, F towards each other, to disengage the hooks G, G from the whiftletree, and the operator swings the clip upwardly and inwardly to disengage the clip from the trace and to allow of slipping the trace off the now free and unobstructed end of the Whittle-tree G.

The device is very simple and durable in construetion, composed of comparatively few parts, and not liable to easily get out of order.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A trace clip, comprising spring members adapted to be hinged to a whiiile-tree and terminating in hooks extending in opposite directions and adapted to engage the sides of a whiiIIe-tree.

2. A trace clip comprising spring members hinged at the inner end to the Whiille-tree and extending over the trace, the outer ends of the said members crossing each other and terminating in hooks adapted to engage the outer end of the whiiIle-tree.

A trace clip made of a single piece of spring wire bent and twisted to form a loop for engagement by a staple driven into the whiiiietree. the free ends terminating in clip members crossing each other, and hooks extending at angles and in opposite directions from the ends of the clip members.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES ADAM GUNZELMON. 

